Beneficiation of Wase Plateau State Rutile for Hydrogen Production

Enejoh Timothy Omejeh; Tariq Ahmed; Rufai Jibrin; Idoko Ojonumi Felix; Usman Akindele

doi:10.56201/rjpst.vol.8.no11.2025.pg1.11

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Beneficiation of Wase Plateau State Rutile for Hydrogen Production

Enejoh Timothy Omejeh, Tariq Ahmed, Rufai Jibrin, Idoko Ojonumi Felix, and Usman Akindele

Abstract

This investigation evaluates the refinement of Jos, Nigeria, rutile/ilmenite ores via sequential water and hydrochloric acid leaching. Elemental compositional data of the unprocessed feedstock indicate a considerable titanium oxide fraction (44.67%), coexisting with a notable iron burden (22.37%). Leaching experiments with deionized water yielded marginal beneficiation, elevating the titanium content to 46.77% and concurrently depressing iron to 19.71%. Conversely, exposure to hydrochloric acid provoked pronounced upgrading, promoting titanium to 84.36% and curtailing iron to 4.71%. Morphological examination by scanning electron microscopy reveals post-acid treatment specimens characterised by pronounced porosity and surface cleaning, while residual rutile/ilmenite material and water- pre-treated products retain layered, relatively intact textures. Such empirical evidence substantiates the superior efficacy of hydrochloric acid for iron exclusion, culminating in enhanced titanium dioxide purity with tangible relevance to the material’s suitability for photocatalytic and stoichiometric hydrogen production applications.

Keywords

rutilebeneficiationleachingtitanium dioxideiron removalphotocatalysis

References

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Beneficiation of Wase Plateau State Rutile for Hydrogen Production

Abstract

Keywords

References

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